WHAT CAREER MILESTONES ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF HAVING ACHIEVED?
I am proud and grateful to have been appointed to my current position at Murray & Roberts, this is the pinnacle of my career so far. I am also very proud of the achievements during the earlier years of my career. These include periods as Section Manager at Western Deep Levels (AngloGold), Mine Manager at Modikwa Platinum Mine (Anglo Platinum/ARM) and Vice President Operations at Karee (Lonmin). These were tough, defining periods in my career where I successfully managed to turn around poor performing business units, where I learnt the most, grew the most and was moulded into the leader that I am today.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
Improving the safety of our mining teams both at the workplace and away from work. Taking advantage of the growth cycle that the mining industry is in at the moment to grow the mining platform into a formidable global player. Ensuring that we have people who are passionate, engaged,well qualified and experienced to achieve this growth.
Technology is advancing rapidly and we need to get our rate of adoption of new technology ahead of that of our peers as this is an opportunity for us to gain a significant competitive advantage.

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE IN YOUR INDUSTRY?
The fact that there is so much opportunity for growth in this business and it’s really up to us as a team to realise that opportunity. We are entering a period of rapid evolution in the mining industry and the introduction of technology, particularly digital technology, is going to change the way the industry operates. I find it very exciting to be part of that journey.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE?
I am an avid cyclist, both mountain biking and road cycling. I enjoy a round of golf on the odd occasion when I am not cycling. I have an interest in food and wine and enjoy a good fine dining experience.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?
Have a plan and work hard. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes as that is how you learn. Know that your career progression will not be linear, and that you will suffer setbacks. These may seem like the end of the world at the time, but it is during the recovery from such setbacks that you learn who you are, what your values are and where you build resilience so that you are in a better position to overcome the many challenges required to build a successful career.

WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I am not always as calm as I appear to be and in my younger days I used to lose my temper quite often. Fortunately, this has changed as I have matured in life.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
Graduate in training with AngloGold. The first substantive position that I held during my training programme was working as a Team Leader supervising a stoping team underground at Elandsrand Gold Mine.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I grew up on a farm not too far from the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg, close to where Lanseria Airport is today.

WHAT CAREER MILESTONES ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF HAVING ACHIEVED?
My career has included many interesting experiences and has shaped who I am today. I have never been conventional and have left roles because I felt that it was a time for a new adventure. I have lived in London, Rosh Pinah in Namibia, in four different cities across South Africa and have travelled to many parts of the world. I am proud to have worked in many different organisations leaving a mark in each one for the objectives achieved.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
The mining platform has long-standing operational experience, a strong brand, leadership culture and ethos. Making an impact in such a dynamic team is a challenge in its own right. The biggest challenge is our ability to navigate a path that takes advantage of the market opportunities whilst recognising the unique strengths of the geographies and cultures in which we operate. Creating a vision and subsequent plan for the future requires fortitude and trust in both the process and team.

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE IN YOUR INDUSTRY?
Mining has not been as extensively interrupted as other industries which means that an interruption is imminent. Some countries and mining companies are extremely forward thinking and braver than others and one can see that change will be around the corner. Having been in the industry for almost 20 years, I am excited to see how things will done in the future. We have a part to play and can map a way forward which could redefine how mining is done. This change excites me and our footprint means that we can take the best in the world and deploy it throughout our organisation

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE?
I have been married to Thilosh for 19 years and we have two kids aged 10 and 12. When I am not travelling I love to spend time with my family in the outdoors. Whilst I don’t look it, I enjoy cycling and playing golf during my spare time and enjoy sports in general. I read a lot because while I enjoy stimulating my thoughts, the long flights give me an opportunity to increase the amount of books I can get through

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?
There are two pieces, the first relates to leadership. Get the right people, create the expectation, get out of the way and allow them to do what they are best at. Always stay close for guidance, support and milestone delivery. Coach and guide to success. The second relates to the culture of finance. If you want to know if you’re delivering value, watch and see how many people demand your presence at the table because your opinion is valued. If you have to struggle to get an invite, then you need to relook at your approach.

WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I won a South African U17 mixed doubles table tennis gold medal and I played in many South African table tennis championships, seeing much of the country as a result. I was even ranked 7th as a junior. As with most people, I chose a career over sport and I got into the exciting field of Finance.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
I worked in a bakery when I was 14 years old (It would not be allowed these days) for a loaf of bread as payment. So you can say that I cooked my own supper. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, my parents were really grateful for the contribution and I felt awesome for contributing to the family. I also served my articles after matric and whilst the combination of studying and working at the same time was not fun, the job itself was great and I got to see a lot of South Africa by working on assignments others thought were not too “sexy” for accountants.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I grew up in Durban in a very traditional Indian way. Even though we did not have much, I enjoyed every moment of it and never allowed the negatives to outweigh the positives. We generally found a way to make awesome memories.